


6 Steps Or More

by thackyearwicket



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-02
Updated: 2015-10-02
Packaged: 2018-04-23 07:46:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4868906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thackyearwicket/pseuds/thackyearwicket
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Every relationship begins in 6 steps. At least, that was the basis.</p><p>Or</p><p>The One Where Lilourry work at a bakery</p>
            </blockquote>





	6 Steps Or More

**Author's Note:**

  * For [starbuckstomlinson](https://archiveofourown.org/users/starbuckstomlinson/gifts).



Every relationship started in 6 steps.  
1\. Meeting  
2\. Learning  
3\. Attraction  
4\. I think you do  
5\. I know you do  
6\. I want you  
At least, that was the basis. Some people flipped the entire list upside down, and some...some needed extra steps.

 ***Step 1: Meeting***  
"Harold!"

"Whaaat?"

"Wouldja go see who's at the counter!"

More of a statement than a question, it sounded like. A somewhat tall boy -Harold, assumedly- came around the bend from the back, broom in hand, grumbling to himself, something quickly ceased when he looked to see someone was actually at the counter. The displeased look from moments before had vanished into a welcoming grin, complete with dimples-and a bit of flour smeared on his cheek.

"How can I help you?" the boy said.

"Hi, sorry to bother you. I was told you were looking for a cashier? Um, I wasn't sure what you needed, but I have my resume and a letter of recommendation from my last employer."

The boy took the papers, and read off the name, "Liam Payne." Liam nodded, though it did sound a bit to him like Harold was offended by it. Maybe that was how he said everyone's name.

Harold smacked the papers down onto the counter to hold out a hand for Liam to shake. He took the hand in a firm handshake, like his father taught him, and tried to smile back, even if he could feel his nervousness oozing from it.

"I'm Harry. That knob in the back and I run this little place," he spoke louder, so as to be heard from the back, "but since he's being such a wanker," and dropped back down to a normal volume, "I'm making the decision myself. You're hired, if you want to deal with us loons."

"What?"

"You're hired, Liam."

"No interview or anything?" Liam didn't even think Harold-- Harry had read his resume. The man didn't seem like a serial killer or anything, but he could be wrong. People had made that mistake before.

"Nope. The job's yours if you want it."

"Uh, yeah, definitely, thank you." Serial killer be damned. Jobs were hard to snatch in such a small town.

Harry's grin widened, "So when can you start?"

"Isn't it supposed to be me asking that?"

The look dropped, replaced by one that looked deep in thought, "You're right," as that lasted for only a few seconds before his cheery disposition returned, "Go ahead."

Liam couldn't help but laugh, "When do I start?"

"How about tomorrow?"

"Works for me."

"Great! Weekdays we're open 11 to 7, and weekends are 8 to 4, except Tuesdays. We close on Tuesdays. The knob and I come in early to start baking, but so long as you're here 15 to opening, we'll be good."

"I'll be here. I'm very punctual." Liam dragged his finger along his upside down resume to find, "It's actually right here, with my other useful qualities-"

"You can take that back with you too, if you want," Harry interrupted, "We haven't got any filing cabinets or anything like that."

So he hadn't read it.

"I'll be seeing you tomorrow then, um, boss?"

"Just call me Harry."

"Harry. Thank you, Harry, really."

 ***Step 1: Meeting***  
The sun was just coming up above the horizon, but it still felt like it was 35 degrees out, maybe more. Perhaps that was too dramatic, but nearing the end of his run, Liam was tired and sweating straight through his shirt, so it really did feel that hot. He tried to focus less on the rhythmic thumping of his feet hitting the ground and more on the sounds of birds waking up and chirping, the wind whistling through the bushes and trees around him, the beautiful colour the clouds had become from the rising sun.

Normally, Liam would go for a mile run every other morning, to get his blood flowing and start off the day, but today he needed a longer run. He needed a run to get his mind off of the nervous wreck he'd become after having come home the day before.

So he ran. To distract himself.

It worked well enough, the pounding in his brain deafening out the worries swarming his head.  
\--  
After almost turning back home twice, Liam walked the few blocks trek to Cakery Bakery, between a bookshop and a dry cleaners. He knocked on the glass entrance door, hoping to catch the attention of the unfamiliar boy behind the counter filling up the display case. The stranger looked up and sighed unhappily, but still made a child-like hop over the counter to come open the door. Liam felt his heart rate rising at the thought of not being welcome, and the words that came from the shorter, but somewhat menacing, man didn't help.

"So you're the new person the curly one hired?"

"Yes, sir."

The stranger's eyebrows rose, but he didn't mention Liam's choice of words, "Have you ever worked in a bakery before?"

There was the interview Liam had been expecting, but from someone much more nerve-wrecking than the last. "No, I haven't, but my last job was working as a secretary for a CFO, so I'm very good at keeping organised when I need to. Should I have brought my resume? I had a letter of recommendation too but Harry didn't want them."

"No. You passed," was all he said before stepping aside to let Liam inside.

He took two steps in before turning back and making a decision to ask something he'd come to regret milliseconds later, "I'm sorry, I don't think I know your name, unless it's Knob or Wanker, since that's all Harry called you." Liam felt a cringe tighten up along his back as he wondered why he put his foot in his mouth, or opened his mouth at all, even.

Although, the other man just laughed. Unexpected, but not unpleasant. He looked much softer while laughing, attractive, if Liam would let himself think something like that about his boss, which he wouldn't.

Liam jumped as he felt a hand come to hold his shoulder, but a quick look to his side had him relaxing, if only somewhat, to see Harry. His face was splotched with batter, flour, and who knows what else, but Liam thought it was funny, in a way.

Harry spoke, smiling through, "Yeah, knob and wanker're the only appropriate names for him."

"Oi," the other man near shouted, quickly sobering up, then turned his attentions back to Liam to say, "I'm Louis, actually, and if you turn out to be as much of a dick as this one, I'll threaten to cut off your hair too."

Not like that would be too awful. Liam had done a buzzcut before, and he actually liked it, but he wasn't going to say that to Louis. He already seemed a little scary.

"Heeeyyy," Harry said, more offence for himself than Liam, probably, "It's his first day, cut him some slack."

Louis let out a petulant breath, "Fine. I've got to get back to the display, since it won't get done if I don't do it."

"That's not true," Harry jumped back in, "It's just Louis being...Louis." Liam still felt like he should have been apologising, but Harry turned him around and led him to the actual entrance to get behind the counter. "Let me show you what you have to do."

 ***Step 2: Learning***  
Learning about Louis was difficult, mostly because it felt like he hated Liam half of the Time.

If there were three things that Liam learned about Louis it was that he loved a lot, fiercely, made anything and everything humorous, and he had a piss poor work ethic for anything he didn't care much about. With Louis, it wasn't so much him explicitly talking about himself that had someone getting to know him, but rather more inference.  
\--  
"You fuckin' real, mate? You come in my home and insult my Rovers?"

Louis wasn't exactly the best with customer service, part of the reason Liam was hired, he figured. The dedication Louis had to his hometown football team was deep, to say the least. It'd lost them several customers in the past because Louis wasn't the best at biting his tongue, but today would be different. That customer happened to be a high tipping regular, and he wasn't about to lose him.

Liam swooped in, patting Louis on the back and saying, "Hey, think Harry needs you for a flour problem." Probably not his best lie, but even with the suspicious look Louis gave him, he still left to the back.

He flashed an apologetic smile to the customer, "Sorry about that, Zayn. He's very passionate about his football."

"It's no issue. I get the same way sometimes. More about my sisters than football, but, like."

Liam laughed, if only softly, because as many things Louis was, there was no denying what a character he could be.

"So, uh, the usual?"

"Yes please. Strawberry and apple today, thanks."

He turned to grab the pastries from the display and saw Louis standing in the entrance to the back, a look on his face that Liam took to mean "thank you". He returned the thanks with a nod, and he couldn't wipe the smile off of his face for a long while after.  
\--  
Spending Time with Louis was always fun, whether it was putting Harry in a bald cap while he slept to prank him, or competing to see who could catch more doughnut balls in their mouth in a row, or, like this particular morning, filling out online quizzes.

Liam had come in a bit early that day, and with his helping hand, the shop was set up much quicker than the average day, which left Liam and Louis nothing to do but sit around, which is how for the last twenty minutes, the two of them had been finding out whether their crush liked them back and if they were more of a seal or an otter.

"Okay here's a good one, 'Do You Need to Cut Down on the Sodium in Your Diet?'."

"Really?" Liam groaned, "Didn't we just do the same quiz but with trans fats?"

"Yes, but this is sodium, Payno, keep up. Very different."

Liam rolled his eyes, dramatically without trying, probably to match Louis's theatrics.

"Okay, first question. Have you ever had a haircut you've regretted?"

"What does this have to do with sodium?"

"Answer the question, lad! The quiz knows all. Don't question the quiz's authority."

He couldn't help the small laugh that came out, "Fine, uh, yeah, I have."

"Is it the one you have now?"

"No." Liam's eyebrow rose.

"Well it should be."

And there it was. He sort of knew that Louis was joking whenever he said anything like that, but to him it felt too much like his old "friends" that pretended to like him because he was easy to use.

Liam must have gone and shown his feelings all over his face again because Louis was touching his shoulder gently and asking, "You okay?" The gesture, while appreciated, wasn't helping the hurt Liam was feeling, so he shrugged off the hand on him.

"You don't have to pretend to be my friend just because we work together, you know."

"What're you talking about, Liam?"

He turned away in his chair. The last thing he needed was for Louis to see him more upset than he had already. "I'd rather you tell me if you don't like me than sitting about making jokes about me right in my face."

"Hey, hey, that's just banter, innit? I like you, Payno. Rather much. But I'll cut down, if it makes you uncomfortable."

"You're sure you don't hate me?"

"Not the least bit. Not even when you're a prick."

Liam turned back around, but kept his eyeline directly at his own feet. "Thanks."

"And for the record, I'm genuinely a fan of this hair you've got goin' on."

The range of things Louis loved was vast, but he loved each and every one monumentally. Over Time, Liam learned he was one of those things.  
\--  
"I'm supervising."

Liam huffed, "Sitting around and drinking Mt. Dew isn't supervising, that's being lazy."

"Somebody's got to make sure this shipment is taken care of properly."

The thing about Louis's humour was that it wasn't always what he said that was funny, but more the way he said things, so for whatever reason, that was about as funny as if he'd said a really good sexual innuendo. However funny he was, it didn't help the sweat that was collecting on himself from having to lug most of the boxes into the store.

As he brought in the last box, Harry was just coming out with the usual assortment of goods to be put into the display. He was pretty sure he saw Harry eating one of the strudels, but with all of the work Liam knew he put in each day to make their food, he wouldn't say anything. It's not like he could blame the guy either; his strudels were particularly delicious.

"We ought to be hiring a manager that actually does something around here."

Liam was joking, of course, but Harry didn't seem bothered either way.

Harry shrugged and picked up the strudel to continue eating it, "It's not a bad thing to me. This place wouldn't exist for us if it weren't for him."

"What do you mean?"

"He gave me the push to start up this place. I had to leave the bakery back home when we moved, but I missed it. When Lou and I met, he said I should start up my own. I wasn't sure about it, but he gave me the push, helped me work out the stuff I didn't know about. All of this is cos of him."

Liam didn't know what to say to something like that. It was unexpected, from someone he thought had such a low work ethic.

Thankfully, Harry easily moved on from the conversation, "Right, I should be getting back to it. Let me know if I missed anything."

He nodded in response and started to set up the food in the display once Harry had moved out of the way, but was interrupted.

"And there's an extra outfit in my bag, if you want to change out of your sweaty ones. Figured you might need it."  
\--  
Getting to know Louis was a lot of inferring --and hearing about whatever Harry had to say about him-- but worth the effort.

 ***Step 2: Learning***  
Harry was easier.  
\--  
"I used to be a baker."

Liam laughed, "You're a baker now, Hazza."

"Nooo, before, back in my hometown. I mostly did the sweeping up, but I learned most of the base stuff I use here."

"Is he talking about being a baker again?" Louis voice rang from the freezer, "Stop him now or he'll never shut up about it!"

Another laugh came bubbling out of Liam at the pouting face Harry was making, leaving a warmth settling in his stomach.  
\--  
Liam and Harry were counting stock...at one point. The hours had slipped away as the two started talking, or more accurately, Harry started talking.

"...And then he punched my friend, head on. It was the worst. She almost got a broken nose from it. The cool part, though, was she punched him right back. Three seconds after being punched she was ready, hit'm right to the ground. Never bothered her or me again. Or anyone, really."

"Good. I hate bullies." Too many of them back home. "So I know everything about your friends, what about yourself?"

"Oh, mm, what do y'want to know?"

"Anything. The first thing you think of."

"Penguins in tuxedos, but that's not much about me here. Ummm, well, I was born in Cheshire. It's still one of my favourite places to go, even though my mum doesn't live there anymore. It's nice to see the place, what changed and all that."

"Do you go there a lot?"

"Not really. It's a long ways to go. I like to check in every once in a while, but it's not something I can go to every weekend. We've got this place anyway. Can't very well leave you without a baker."

"Tommo and I can take care of the place just for a little weekend. We're capable enough, least I am, so long as we've got recipes. You should go."

"Very nice offer, but I don't know if I could take it. I like being here. But maybe one day?"

Liam knew Harry was probably just sparing his feelings. If he and Louis were left alone for a day, the place would probably be burnt down within an hour. He still wanted to think the two of them would be capable of running the shop without Harry.

"Okay, um, tell me about home. You have any pets growing up?"

He lit up, "Yeah! I used to have this cat Dusty. I love cats, but we can't have cats in my place. I think Lou'd have something to say about it too. He really doesn't like cats."

"Probably cos he's a cat."

"I know! I've been trying to tell him that for years, but he doesn't believe me. You'll have to tell him too. He'll probably believe you more."

"Why would he believe me?"

A shrug, followed by, "You're trustworthy."  
\--  
Harry told things as they were. He told anyone and everyone about his life, what he was like, what his opinion on something was. It felt like everyone he came to know knew him pretty well, but what Liam really wanted was to get to the parts Harry didn't talk about. Vulnerable feelings weren't something Harry shared with just anyone. Liam had known people like that before, so he knew that likely, he just needed Time, and trust.  
\--  
Liam heard a pleasant humming coming from the alleyway as he walked up to the bakery.

For as long as Liam worked at the bakery, a few months by then, he still didn't who lived in the flat above the bakery. Someone lived there, if the piles of mail that were left every day meant anything. Part of him wish the stairs were in the bakery so he'd at least knew who lived there, out of curiosity more than anything else, but the stairs were outside on the side of the building. It was strange, considering how the entire street was wall to wall buildings, but he faintly remembered Harry telling him about how some previous landlord knocked down some of the wall to put the stairs on the outside.

Those stairs were where Liam found Harry sitting, humming, with earplugs in and an open, small black book in his lap. It only took a second or two for Harry to see Liam and even less for him to swiftly shut the book he was writing in.

"Hey, what're you doing over here?"

"I, uh, heard humming, so I wanted to see if- Never mind. You coming in with me?"

Harry looked incredibly nervous, "No, think I'll stay here for a few more minutes."

He started to turn to walk away, but a pull in his heart had him coming back, "Are you okay? You can talk to me if there's something...bothering you."

"I'm good Liam thank you," and the smile he gave would look real if Liam hadn't spent so much Time learning about Harry.

Liam sat down next to Harry and nudged his shoulder with his own. "I can tell you're lying."

Harry's eyes fixated on him then, looking over his face, until whatever it was he saw in Liam had him telling the truth. Being Vulnerable. "I write whenever I've got too many, thoughts, I guess, in my head. I don't really tell people about it."

"You write songs?"

"Yeah, sort of. Nothing that'll make me a famous songwriter or anything, just my, um, feelings."

"That's cool, Haz." He placed a hand on Harry's wrist and rubbed with his thumb comfortingly.

"You think so?"

"Yeah, mate. At least you're trying something to get those feelings out. Some people don't deal with their feelings at all and it hurts them in the end. If this is your outlet, who'm I to say no?"

"It's easier, I guess. Let out some creativity and get your feelings out," he let out a laughing breath, "I don't even talk to Louis about this as much as I am now."

"Nothing wrong with being open with people too. It's good to have someone who'll be able to talk back, or give you a cuddle," he ended with tossing an arm around Harry.

"Guess that's something I should work on. I am fond of a cuddle."

"And if you ever need someone to practice with, I'll be glad to give a listen for you."

"Thanks, Liam."

He didn't think Harry would be taking him up on that offer anytime soon, not with so much going into learning to trust a person with the deeper parts of themselves, but it felt like a step in the right direction. Something to work on together.

"Right, up we go. Ready to go back in now?"

"Yeah, let's go. I should check on my mini pies anyway."

"Think you could spare a raspberry for your favourite cashier?"

"Maybe if he's nice."

 ***Step 2: Learning***  
Group Chat [Bakery Patrol]  
[Harry] Do you want to come by tonight for dinner? I'm making moroccan chicken  
[Louis] And we just got a new tele up in our place we can watch the dark knight series !  
[Liam] our place?  
[Harry] Lou and I live together in the flat upstairs?  
[Liam] Oh I didn't know but i can't come anyway sorry  
[Harry] What? Why? :(  
[Liam] it's personal stuff  
[Harry] But this new game I bought needs three people! You have to come! Just this once and then we'll let you be if you don't want to come back.  
[Louis] yeah payno !! We won't bite  
[Louis] ..maybe ;)  
[Liam] sorry lads u'll have 2 find another third i can't come  
[Harry] :(  
[Louis] Boo

And what incredibly important plans Liam had to sit around his flat and probably order in. Lying about his responsibilities wasn't uncommon for him, since sometimes he really did need to spend some Time alone, but this wasn't one of those cases.

Harry and Louis were a couple, and as easy going as it was to be around them at work, doing couple-y things like homemade dinner and movies meant Liam would be left as the third wheel. Liam hated feeling left out.

 ***Step 3: Attraction***  
The first Time Liam realised he was attracted to Louis was on the roof of the bakery's building. They'd gone up for a smoke -a terrible habit, he knew- when Louis got one of his ideas. Tomlideas often ended in injury or running away from authority figures, but every single one was accompanied by a strong adrenaline rush. There was nothing like the feeling Liam got running away from a professional wrestler after Louis sharpied on his face to make him look like a cat.

So, when Louis said, "We should jump roofs, like, Assassin's Creed style," Liam only hesitated for a minute.

For whatever reason, Louis slowly started to check his plans with Liam, as if Sensible Liam would tell him whether it was too dangerous of a plan or not. Liam went along with his plans 99% of the Time, so he wasn't sure if he should be counted on to be objective.

He did think through plans somewhat -Jumping the from one building to the next could be dangerous, but there was a fairly close ledge from the stairs off the side, so there wasn't a big chance they'd die...

"Yeah, okay."

"Wait, really?"

"Yeah. I'd rather die doing something fun with you than not doing it at all."

"Ooh, that was real cheesy, Payno."

"I know, just shut up and go jump."

Louis playfully raised his eyebrows at Liam, then wasted no Time in stamping out his cig and getting a running start over to the edge of the roof. He jumped on top of the lip and used the momentum to push himself off and onto the next roof. There was a bit of a fall and roll as he landed, but it was still the sickest thing Liam had seen in a while.

"Come over here! It's a waste if I'm the only one who does it!"

Liam rolled his eyes and stamped out his cig, "Yeah, yeah, I'm comin'!"

One of the biggest differences between Liam and Louis was that Liam didn't feel the need for theatrics like Louis did. He didn't need to have a dramatic show about most anything, while Louis did about most everything. There wasn't much of a point to getting a running start for him when the wall would only slow him down, so he cut to the chase and got up on it.

That all sounded like a great plan, until Liam looked down. He didn't have a fear of heights, not really, but it was much different being in a plane, looking out a top story window, or going on a rollercoaster as opposed to looking down at a possible death. Liam could feel his body trying to pull him back on solid ground.

A softer voice came from the roof over, "Liam, you don't actually have to do this, if you don't want."

"No, I have to. I want to." He was determined, had to finish what he started.

There was a hesitation before, "Alright. Just, look at me, yeah?" Liam pulled his eyes up. "Don't look down, keep looking at me and jump. I'm not gonna let you fall."

Liam believed him, even if the reassurance wasn't very logical, so he did what he said he would. He kept a lock on Louis, took a deep breath, and jumped.

It probably could have been counted as a dramatic story to tell his future kids about if he hadn't landed and stumbled right into Louis. The same Louis who held onto Liam and found ground to keep them from stumbling more. The same Louis whom Liam was standing way closer to than he ever had before.

He could feel his cheeks burning, the embarrassment of falling pricking his skin, but the enjoyment of being so close to Louis, the way his stomach leaped into his throat, the static in his head, told that perhaps his flush was more than from embarrassment.

For a split second, Liam thought he might have seen something similar in Louis, but then he was taking his arms away from Liam's waist and pinching one of his nipples instead saying, "Told you I wouldn't let you fall."

But he already was.

 ***Step 3: Attraction***  
That incident with Louis really threw Liam off. He kept thinking about it, until he was wondering what parts he'd imagined and which were real. When it'd finally come to being too much to deal with, Liam did the only thing he could think of. He ignored Louis. Ignoring one of the only people he regularly talked to for no reason was a shit move, he knew, but it was all he could think of until he was ready to deal with whatever feelings he was developing.

The upside to being a total dick to one of his only, and probably best, friends was being able to hang out more with Harry.

The downside to the upside was hearing Harry’s stories. Don’t get him wrong, the stories were rather often good, but Harry took forever to finish a story. He had a long drawl that made his stories seem to go on for ages. In normal conversation, it wasn’t as prevalent, not when each person only spoken a sentence or two at a Time, but when Harry told a story, the listener slowly comes to realise the particular way he talks. It was like he wanted to chew on each word. Chew on each word until it’d just almost lost its flavour.

It’d been a slow day at the shop, slow enough that Harry sent Louis back to the flat upstairs and was now cuddling into Liam. The chairs they were sat on had no cushioning, only hard metal that wasn’t comfortable to sit on, so Liam couldn’t help but feel sorry for how uncomfortable Harry must have been sitting in such an odd position.

“-and then we had to take him back to the vet, but I wanted to keep him. At least the vets can take better care of him.”

Liam was nearly half asleep by the end of the story, but in his defence, it was rather warm in the bakery that day and Harry did have an exceptionally soothing voice.

“So that’s why you got your cat?” Even his voice sounded a little sleepy.

“Yeah, mum said I couldn’t have a bird, so we got a cat instead. I like cats more anyway.”

“Mm.” Liam closed his eyes, and he could feel Harry shifting against him.

“Are you tired? You can go up and have a kip if you like. I’m sure I could hold down the fort.”

And as much as he wished it wouldn’t, Liam’s stomach started sprouting butterflies, leaving little pricks of warmth to settle in his midsection. It was fondness, attraction, everything Liam wasn’t wanting to catch. Again. With someone who was in a relationship with the other person he was attracted to. Ironic.

Liam could and did blame this on his tired mind, but he nuzzled into Harry’s shoulder and said, “Nah, like being here with you for a while.”

They settled into a comfortable silence then, at least, until the moment Liam was nearly asleep when he heard a soft, "You should talk to him. He's trying to give you space, but he misses you."

Liam knew Harry was talking about him ignoring Louis. He would, eventually. There was no way he could avoid both of them.

 ***Step 4: I think you do***  
“I bet you’re a great boyfriend.”

Harry spoke so casually, as if it was completely normal to make an outburst like that. Harry was fucking weird.

“Um thank you?” Liam replied.

“You’re all caring, you know? With everyone you meet. Must be even more for the people you date. It’s a good attribute.”

That now familiar warm feeling settled in the pit of his stomach at Harry’s compliments. Sometimes it felt like Harry was always either showering him with exuberant compliments or half assedly attempting to offend Liam in response to him thinking Liam was trying to offend him. It was a complicated flip flop.

“I’d date you, if I could. You’re that boyfriend material. Pretty face, pretty body, pretty person. Just pretty.”

“Haz, okay, stop, I’m turning into a tomato over here.”

Harry only looked a little sheepish, “Sorry.”

Liam thought he should probably be feeling worse that a guy with a serious boyfriend was flirting with him.

 ***Step 4: I think you do***  
"Ow! Stop that!"

It was Louis's sixth nipple pinch within the last hour on Liam alone.

"Gotta be faster than that if y'don't want the pinch, Payno."

"I'm sure fast is your speciality," Liam teased.

"Actually tend to take my Time."

"Those two minute stretches must be real nice."

"Why don't you find out for yourself?" He raised his eyebrows with a smirk and was gone in the back before Liam could finish really processing what just happened.

One side of a relationship flirting with him was scary, but both was monstrous. He could deal with it later, when he'd said, "Your boyfriend's been flirting with me," enough Times that it didn't sound like the worst thing to say.

 ***Step 5: I know you do***  
"Make yourself at home, Payno," Louis said as he led the way into his and Harry's flat casually, as if it weren't a big deal for Liam to be coming into their house for the first Time.

Since that first attempt the two had made to get Liam to come for dinner, he'd begged off several others on miscellaneous reasons. The very idea of having dinner with them was terrifying enough, but adding in these feelings of attraction to both of them made saying yes all the harder. The last thing he wanted to do was inadvertently break Harry and Louis up and cause tension in the bakery, so he wormed his way out of every offer. That was, until Liam found out that separately, the two were sneaky things, but together, they were a force to be reckoned with. A simple combination of trick questions had Liam telling them that he was free for the night and they took advantage of it. Liam probably should have thought it was deceptive, but instead, it made his heart flutter. Curse his damned heart.

"Shall I take off my shoes?" Liam asked instead of familiarising himself with the place.

"Nah, it's-"

"Yes please!" Harry chirped before heading off to the kitchen.

Liam followed the newest instructions easily, setting his shoes by the door per a directional nod from Louis.

"He's weird about that shit sometimes. Just sometimes too. He's a real fuckin' nutter."

Maybe Harry was a little weird, but Liam thought it was part of his charm. Louis didn't seem to be looking for a response, a good thing, since Liam didn't think his thoughts would fair well outside of his head. Instead, Louis reached up to stretch an arm around Liam's shoulders and lead him towards the sitting room.

"Are we just letting Haz do all the cooking?"

"Exactly," Louis said as he pushed Liam down onto the sofa, "We're supervising."  
\--  
Being squished between the two of them didn't feel too odd, and neither did Harry's hand placed on his thigh, thumb rubbing slow circles -okay, maybe it was a tad intimate- but the tipping point came when Louis moved to mirror Harry on his other thigh.

He jumped out of his seat and turned around to face the other two. "Okay, I need answers here. I don't understand how you both could be trying to come onto me at once! You're in a fucking relationship, do you not have any respect for the other? It's one thing to be coming at me separately, at least that's something that can be talked about, but coming onto me right in front of each other? For fuck's sake!"

Liam was fuming, but Harry and Louis just looked incredulous. Until, that was, Louis started laughing, and soon enough, Harry was joining right in, laughing so hard he was almost falling off of the sofa. He wanted to say that it eased the smoke blowing from his ears, but all it did was add confusion to his anger.

"What are you laughing at? This isn't funny. Cheating isn't a laughing matter."

Then, Harry really did fall off of the sofa, but Louis was still able to get out through stuttering breaths, "We're not together."

He could feel the tension falling away from his body at the admission, for about a second until a thick wave of guilt clouded his mind and brought all the tension back to him.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry. I just thought...like, you live together, and share a room and you're the way you are with each other. Fuck, I feel like such a dunce."

Surprisingly, considering how hard he was laughing moments before, Harry was up at Liam's side and leading him back to the sofa between them with a, "You're not the first to think it, Liam."

"Yeah," Louis looked like he was still recovering from his laughter, "We've tried before-"

"-Several Times," Harry added.

"We have a good connection as mates, love each other, but we could never make it work in a relationship."

"We were too different, y'know?"

"Used to joke about how we could work, if we were with someone else who was a...like a..."

Harry threw out a suggestion, "Median point?"

"Yeah, median point. It was just jokes, but then we met you, and we talked about it, and...if you want."

Liam was somehow more understanding and even more confused about the entire situation. It made more sense why Harry and Louis were how they were with one another, even if the reasoning didn't quite resonate for him, but then Louis started talking about him and that made it entirely confusing again. He looked to Harry for something more understandable.

"We want you. To be with us, if you want."

 ***Step 6: I want you***  
"What?"

"We want to be in a relationship with you, both of us."

The issue wasn't that Liam wasn't attracted to the boys by him, closer to the opposite if anything, but more in how much all of it was. The mere idea of any kind of relationship was a lot to put on one person, but a relationship with two people? Even worse. He wasn't in enough of a level head to talk about a relationship seriously, and he hated not being able to think clearly. It was too much, and he couldn't stick around for him to do or say something he'd end up regretting.

"I'm have to go. Thank you for dinner. Was lovely."

He heard protests behind him, but they were faint against the swarm of thoughts clouding his mind. They felt a little quieter when he stepped out of the flat. A little.  
\--  
It was dark out by the Time Liam got to running, probably rather dangerous and not when he should be going for runs, but it helped him think. The rhythmic thumping of his feet helped him focus on more complicated thoughts. He could phone in running, left, right, left, right. However it was, it helped him to see things more clearly.

He stopped at his midpoint, a small park just shy under two miles from home and took a walk. The plan was to run a mile all together, but he just kept going, at least until he realised he hadn't understood anything more than when he first started running. His mind felt more clear, level headed, and yet every question he had was left unanswered. He knew the people who could probably help; he also knew that they were probably who he wanted to talk to the least after the way he'd acted earlier in the night.

When he left, he didn't feel much better.  
\--  
At least, he didn't feel better in the moment. Later, looking back on the situation, he knew that had he not gone for his run, his life would have ended up much differently. He found it peculiar and somewhat magical how the smallest action can change the course of someone's life.

Had Liam not gone for his run, he would have come home to feed the dog, take a shower, turn off his mobile, and fall asleep in the wee hours of the morning in the middle of watching whatever reality shows he had saved up. He would have gotten up the next morning in a terrible mood because of the crick in his neck, gone for a run anyway, and continue at work pretending like nothing ever happened.

That would have been the simpler option, probably. The one that would have saved him a lot of confusion, learning, fighting, jealousy-

But he went for that run. And if he were asked later, he'd say he wouldn't have changed a thing.

What happened instead was Liam came home, dead tired, too tired to think much, too tired to worry about much of anything. He fed his dog, giving him a little extra for having to wait so long, and got right in the shower to wash the sweat from his run. He came out of the shower and got dressed in some joggers, set on watching his shows, when he heard a buzz behind him.

His mobile sat on the nightstand, and he didn't think before picking it up and mindlessly unlocking the screen.

[(43) Messages]

Four were from Louis...  
[Louis 8:37pm] what the fuck ???? why did you leave like that ?? that was real fuckin shitty !  
[Louis 8:50pm] I'm realising I should calm down it makes sense why your upset payno !! Don't shut us out  
[Louis 9:39pm] Please  
[Louis 10:02pm] I get it I'll leave you alone , I'll tell harry to stop too, talk to us when your ready

Thirty-nine were from Harry...  
[Harry 8:29pm] Please don't leave.  
[Harry 8:30pm] I'm sorry  
[Harry 8:31pm] Please please come back. We can talk about this.  
[Harry 8:31pm] We don't want to lose you.  
[Harry 8:33pm] It's okay if you don't want to be with us.  
[Harry 8:35pm] We'd understand.  
[Harry 8:35pm] We didn't mean to scare you.  
[Harry 8:35pm] You're really important to us and the bakery.  
[Harry 8:35pm] We can back off.  
[Harry 8:35pm] You have to tell us what you want.  
[Harry 8:36pm] Anything?  
[Harry 8:38pm] Please don't ignore me  
[Harry 8:39pm] It doesn't feel very nice to be ignored with this sort of issue looming over my head.  
[Harry 8:44pm] I know I shouldn't be leaving this many messages.  
[Harry 8:44pm] Or any...  
[Harry 8:49pm] I know how you work through your problems. I know sometimes you need to think on your own and sometimes you seek advice from me or Louis. I know I should be leaving you alone to think like you need to, but it's different this time. The issue involves me, and it feels awful to sit here waiting and wondering whether you're going to come talk to us or not. You'll need to talk to us either way. We want you happy, Liam. That's what we want. That's all we want. If we make you happy, that'd be wonderful, but if we don't, it's okay to say no.  
[Harry 8:57pm] Say anything on your mind, but say something.  
[Harry 10:00pm] I don't know  
[Harry 10:00pm] It was much nicer with you here  
[Harry 10:00pm] We like you here  
[Harry 10:01pm] you light up a room you know that?  
[Harry 10:01pm] you bring a light surrounding you  
[Harry 10:01pm] bright bright like a strong aura  
[Harry 10:01pm] you're such a beautiful person i want to prove it to you  
[Harry 10:06pm] lou said to stop texting you but i don't want to  
[Harry 10:06pm] please answer i can't stand not knowing what you're thinking  
[Harry 10:19pm] please  
[Harry 10:19pm] please  
[Harry 10:22pm] why is it waiting feels like the world has stopped turning  
[Harry 10:29pm] i wish i could see if uve read this  
[Harry 10:33pm] i wish i could see you  
[Harry 10:46pm] he's trying to get me to go to bed  
[Harry 10:46pm] i dont want to  
[Harry 10:47pm] id rahter be singing my songs with you  
[Harry 11:09pm] ive heard your voice its beautiful like the res to of u  
[Harry 11:12pm] i wrote a song about u  
[Harry 11:13pm] lots ofthem  
[Harry 11:17pm] i dont wnt us 2 end like this  
[Harry 11:20pm] im soryr

All Liam could do for a moment was stare at his screen. It was expected from Louis, his anger, his understanding, his attempt for reconciliation, his knowing when to leave a man alone, but Harry was a whole other story. Sure, Liam'd woken up to about a hundred texts from Harry before, so that wasn't surprising, but more how vulnerable he'd become. How much he tried to cling to someone he thought was worth it.

Maybe it was that. Maybe it was the run. Maybe it was the way his heart clenched and shattered on repeat reading those messages. Probably it was a mix of every single confusing feeling Liam had been feeling the past couple of months, but he switched over to their groupchat and pressed the call button. Within seconds, both of them picked up.

"I'm ready to talk."  
\--  
"I don't want to be called a mediator, or be a mediator. I'd be your boyfriend, that's it."

"Got it," Louis said, as Harry wrote it down on the yellow legal pad in front of him.

They sat at a coffee shop down the street from the bakery. It was a neutral territory, or at least, that's what Harry called it when he suggested they talk over the important details of the relationship. As weird as the topic of conversation was, Liam considered it a date. Louis did pay for his and Harry's coffee, and the slice of chocolate cake that Liam had eaten most of. Sue him, he liked cake.

Harry looked over the list in front of him, then at Liam, "What about...sexually?"

"Woah woah, let's figure that out later. This is only the first date. Liam Payne doesn't put out on a first date."

"Funny, I didn't see that on your resume. Would've been a good edition."

"Funny, you only ever read my name off my resume."

"You were cute."

"So we should hire every cute guy that comes in the shop? Shall we hire up Zayn to model the breads?"

Louis took the millisecond lull to jump in the conversation, "Is this a date?"

"Um, well, yeah, I thought so." Liam could feel the blood rushing to his cheeks.

"Our first date? You're saying yes?"

Liam didn't have to think about it. He'd known for the past week that they'd been discussing the relationship that he was going to say yes. He knew that there was something special about them. He could see it, right in that moment, from looking at their faces while they waited for him to answer.

"Yeah, I'm saying yes."

He probably should have expected it when Louis leaned half of his body over the table to kiss Liam, but he didn't. He probably should have been feeling embarrassed about how burning his cheeks were, but he wasn't. It wasn't how he'd pictured his first kiss with one of them to go, but it was all the more real, for them.

"Heyyy, how come you get to kiss him first? That was not specified in the rules."

Louis reached the other way and planted a kiss on Harry's lips, "Happy now?"

"No! I mean, yes, but that's not what we're talking about. I want to kiss Liam."

"So kiss him!"

"Not here! I want it to be romantic."

Louis groaned and Liam felt the smile spread across his lips, the warm feeling spreading from his stomach all along his body. Bickering boys probably shouldn't give flutters in a man's chest, but they were his bickering boys.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope my giftee and anyone else reading this enjoys this! Thank you for taking the Time to read.


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